Railway-switch.



Patented lan. 28, |902.

Np. 692,05. Patented 1an. 28, |902. c. A. Essen.

RAILWAY SWITCH.

l I (Application led Oct, 28, 1901.) (No Model.) 2 Sheetsv4 Sheet 2.

Tus Noam: mens co. maremma., wAsMmaroN. n, c.

NITED STATES CHRISTIAN A. EGGER, OF NEW KENSINGTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAI LWAY-SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Bat/ent No. 692,125, dated January 28, 1902.

Application tiled October 28, 1901. Serial No. 80,250. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, GHRrsTIAN A. EGGER, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at New Kensington,in the county of Westmoreland and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Switches, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates "to certain new and useful improvements in switches, and is particularly adapted to be operated from the moving train or car,

Brieliy described, my invention comprises, in connection with the switch-rail and the switch-tongue, a' rock-shaft which is journaled underneath the rails and has cam-faces that are alternately brought into contact with the switch-tongue and switch-rail. Throwing rods or bars are connected to the rock-shaft, at each end thereof, and these throwing rods or bars are connected to trips adapted to be engaged by mechanism carried by the moving train or car for actuating the switch so as to place the latter in the desired position.

In describing the invention in detail reference is had to the accompanying drawings, forming a partof this specitication,and wherein like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, in which- Figure 1 is a detail perspective view of my improved switch. Fig. 2 is atransverse vertical sectional View of the same. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of a part of the switch, showing the rock-shaft, the throwing rods or bars being removed. Fig. 4 is a detail plan view of the rock-shaft.

To put my invention into practice I employ a switch point or tongue 1 and a switch-rail 2, these being connected together by tie-rods 8 or other suitable means, the switch point or tongue being pivoted at 4 upon one of the cross-ties. The switch point or tongue and switch-rail are preferably laid upon the saddie-plates 5, placed on the cross ties. A

bracket 6 is placed between two of the ties centrally of the roadbed and rigidly secured to said ties,this bracket carrying a bar 7 ,in which is journaled a rock-shaft 8, the latter being necked down, as at 9, where it is journaled in the bearings 7. This rook-shaft extends beyond the rails of the track and carries enlargements or bushings 10 11, having cam-faces 12. These cam-faces are set oppositely to each other, so that when one of same is at the upper side of the rock-shaft the other is at the lower side,`and when one is in engagement with the switch-rail 2 the other will be out of engagement with the switch point or tongue, and vice versa. Mounted on the one end of the shaft 8 is a lever 14, the upper end of which is pivotally connected to one end of the Ithrowing rod or bar 15, the other end of this rod being pivotally connected in a trip 16, which is mounted to work in brackets or lugs 17, mounted upon one of the cross-ties. To the lower end of the lever 14 is connected one end of the throwing rod or bar 18, the other end of which is pivotally connected to the trip 19, pivotally mounted in lugs or brackets 17, carried by one of the cross-ties. The opposite end of the rock-shaft has a lever 20 mounted thereon, to the upper end of` which is pivotally connected one end of the throwing rod or bar 21, the other end of said rod or bar being pivoted in the trip 22, that is pivotally mounted in brackets or lugs 17, carried by the same cross-tie as the trip 19 is mounted on. To the lower end of the lever 2O is pivotally connected one end 'of a throwing rod or bar 23, the other end of said rod or bar being pivotally connected to a trip 24, mounted in lugs or brackets 17, carried upon one of the cross-ties.

The switch is adapted to be operated by a rod, lever, shoe, or other device (not shown) which is suspended from the locomotive or car. The switch, as shown in Figs. l and 2, is set so that the car or train moving on the main track toward the latter will be passed to the side track. In case the car or train moving in this direction desires to continue on the main track the device will be lowered, so as to engage the trip 19 and move the same toward the switch, thus actuating the rockshaft through the medium of the throwing rod or bar 18, causing the cam 11 to be moved out of engagement with the switch-rail 2 and the cam 10 to be moved into engagement with and forcing the switch point or tongue 1 over into position against the main rail. In case the switch should be closed and the train moving toward the left should desire to enter IOO the switch the trip 22 will be actuated so as to operate the rock-shaft, causing the cain 10 to be moved out of engagement with the switch tongue or point 1 and the cam ll to be thrown into engagement with and force the switch-rail 2 against the main rail', removing the switch point or tongue l from its contact with the main rail and opening the switch. If the train or car is moving toward the right on the main track, the trip 16 will be engaged so as to actuate the rock-shaft, causing the cam 10 to engage the switch point or tongue l and move the latter,` together with the rail 2, so as to open the switch. Itthe train or car is coming off the side track when the switch is closed, the trip 24 will be actuated so as to cause the cam 1l to engage the switch-rail 2 and open the switch to permit the car or train passing onto the main track. The rock-shaft 8 is preferably journaled in bearings 6', as well as the bearings 7, these bearings 6' being 1ocated underneath the rails of the track.

In practice various changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from the general spirit of my invention.

Having fully described n1y invention, what Iclaixn as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In combination with the main and side tracks and a switch-tongue and a switch-rail 5o connected together, a single rock-shaft having bearings located between two of the crossties, bushings mounted on said rock-shaft intermediate of its ends, inclined carn-faces on the outer sides of said bushings for engagement with the inner faces of said switch tongue and rail, a lever centrally secured to each end of said rock-shaft on the exterior of the main and side track rails, one of said levers carrying a pair of oppositely-disposed throwing-rods extending in alinement with the main-track rails and having trips carried by their free ends, the other of said levers carrying a pair of oppositely-disposed throwing-rods pivotally secured to its ends, one of said last-named levers extending in alinement with the main track and carrying a trip on its free end, the other of said levers extending in alinement with the side track on the exterior thereof, and carrying a trip on its free end, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

oHRIs'rIAN A. EGGER.

Witnesses:

JOHN NoLAND, E. E. POTTER. 

